Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid sat in a news conference days after losing in the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers for the second straight season. He was peppered with questions about his future, with unrestricted free agency looming in summer 2026 if he doesn’t sign an extension with the Oilers.

The Edmonton media was fishing for any sign that McDavid was committed to the organization and the city, but he wasn’t biting. Someone asked if he had a sense of unfinished business with his teammates after coming so close to raising the Cup, losing in seven games to Florida last season and in six games this month.

“This core has been together for a long time and we’ve been building to this moment all along. The work that’s gone on behind the scenes, the conversations, the endless disappointments and some good times along the way, obviously. We’re all in this together, trying to get it over that finish line,” McDavid said.

Then came the four words that shook a city to its soul.

“With that being said,” McDavid continued, “ultimately, I still need to do what’s best for me and my family. That’s who you have to take care of first.”

It was the first time McDavid even hinted at hesitation about his future in Edmonton. He’s entering the final season of an eight-year, $100 million deal signed in July 2017. Many assumed the ink would be drying on an extension with the Oilers — in what is expected to be the richest contract in NHL history — when he’s eligible to sign on July 1. But McDavid is unlikely to sign that extension unless he is comfortable with the progress Edmonton’s made in improving its roster for next season and beyond.

“I’m not in a rush to make any decision, so I don’t think that there needs to be any timeline,” McDavid said. “I know people are going to look at July 1 and will be looking to see if there’s anything done. But for me, no, I’m just not in a rush in that way.”

An NHL source said that McDavid isn’t committed, at this point, to staying with the Oilers beyond next season. But he’s also not committed to moving on from the organization that drafted him first overall in 2015.

“He’s trying to find reasons to stay, not to leave,” the source said. “But everything’s on the table for Connor right now.”

IF MCDAVID DOESN’T RE-SIGN with the Oilers, it would be an unprecedented moment in the history of NHL free agency. Never before has a generational talent — with multiple MVP awards and scoring titles to his credit — reached unrestricted free agency in his prime.

There might not be a comparative moment in North American professional sports since LeBron James and “The Decision” in 2010 — although given what fans and players have been chanting about McDavid after the Panthers’ second Stanley Cup win over Edmonton, one assumes McDavid won’t be taking his talents to South Beach.

With Stanley Cup contention as his goal, the pool of teams with whom McDavid would consider signing is limited. There’s been speculation about the Ontario native having a homecoming with the Toronto Maple Leafs, still seeking their first Stanley Cup since 1967; that he could join former Oilers GM Ken Holland with the Los Angeles Kings; that the New York Rangers could make him the king of Broadway while easing his goaltending headaches with Igor Shesterkin; or that well-maintained franchises like the Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning could make their pitches.

McDavid is committed to Edmonton for the 2025-26 season. That list of potential suitors could change in that span, depending on their own fortunes.

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Messier: McDavid and Draisaitl are the two best players of their generation

Mark Messier joins “Get Up” and breaks down where Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl stack up in the NHL after the Oilers’ overtime win.

After Leon Draisaitl inked an eight-year, $112 million deal last summer — a contract that will keep him in Edmonton until 2033 — many assumed McDavid’s extension would be a mere formality. After all, why would Draisaitl sign without some indication that his close friend and frequent linemate McDavid would do the same?

But sources told ESPN in January that one signing was not a harbinger of the other, and that McDavid would make his own decision independent of Draisaitl’s.

But make no mistake: Draisaitl is a factor in McDavid’s decision. As are defenseman Evan Bouchard, forward Zach Hyman, forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and every other core player who theoretically will be in Edmonton for the next several seasons. As McDavid said, the core has been through playoff battles together, and there’s a sense of unfinished business for him in Edmonton.

“We were two games away from winning. Last year, we were two shots away from winning, so the belief is incredibly high in that room,” he said. “We talked about that all throughout the playoffs, and we do believe that this group can win and will win.”

But for all that belief, McDavid wants to understand the plan for how the team can win in the short term and the long term. It’s an essential part of his decision-making process to remain in Edmonton.

He wants to know how a team with just over $10 million in cap space, without much draft capital and the 30th-ranked prospect pool, can make the necessary moves to get over the championship hump and remain competitive. Last summer, that pool of young players got thinner when forward Dylan Holloway and defenseman Phillip Broberg were poached by the St. Louis Blues via offer sheets.

McDavid nodded at that thin prospect pool during his press conference. “It’s not like we have a ton of cap room and we’ve got a long list of highly touted prospects knocking on the door,” he said.

McDavid reiterated: “If I feel that there’s a good window to win here over and over again, then signing is no problem.”

GM Stan Bowman didn’t necessarily agree that pitching McDavid on the Oilers’ window to win was any more vital than meeting his asking price during negotiations.

“I don’t know if you have to sell one thing any more than another,” he said.

But Bowman knows that convincing McDavid of Edmonton’s continuing commitment to win is paramount. When he was hired to replace Holland last summer, Bowman visited with McDavid, who told him that he wanted to win the Stanley Cup.

“That was it. We didn’t talk about anything else. This is his singular focus,” Bowman said.

“I guess it’s my job to connect with Connor and demonstrate that’s what we’re all trying to do. We all have the same objective. I know how passionate he is about winning. It’s what I love about him,” he said. “He’s not just a fantastic hockey player, but he’s a great person, a great leader, and he’s incredibly motivated to do whatever it takes.”

IF MCDAVID ULTIMATELY RE-SIGNS with the Oilers, what he hears from Bowman could determine the length of that contract. There’s a growing belief that McDavid may not sign an eight-year extension like Draisaitl, but could explore something in the three- to five-year range. That would allow him to attempt to finish the “unfinished business” with the core in Edmonton, while reaching UFA status in his early 30s with the NHL salary cap projected to continue its record-setting ascent.

Another reason to believe this could happen is Judd Moldaver, executive vice president at Wasserman and McDavid’s agent. He was the first NHL agent in the salary cap era to seek contracts for superstar clients with significantly less than maximum term. He’s gone shorter than eight years on blockbuster extensions for Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews, with a five-year deal in 2019 and a four-year deal signed in 2023, as well as Columbus Blue Jackets star Zach Werenski (six years, signed in 2021). He could seek to do the same for McDavid.

Matthews had the league’s highest cap hit ($13.25 million average annual value) before Draisaitl’s contract ($14 million AAV) kicks in next season.

McDavid is all but certain to eclipse that. His next contract — at whatever length it ends up being — will range between $15.5 million and $19 million per year on a max deal, multiple sources indicated to ESPN. Anything above Draisaitl’s cap hit would set a new NHL record for highest average annual value in the cap era.

The money will take care of itself. It’s Connor McDavid, the guy with three Hart trophies as NHL MVP, a Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP and five scoring titles. In theory, the contract negotiation with McDavid is essentially a general manager asking how much he needs, and then writing the check.

But McDavid has said that the chance to lift the Stanley Cup is more important than his bank account.

“Winning would be at the top of the list,” he said. “It’s the most important thing.”

The Oilers are confident that, after two trips to the Stanley Cup Final, they offer the best shot at winning for McDavid. But they also offer the comfort of being the only NHL home he’s known.

McDavid and his wife, Lauren Kyle McDavid, have a house in the Parkview area of Edmonton that was featured by Architectural Digest. Kyle McDavid also recently helped open the stylish Bar Trove in Edmonton that features Trove Living, a retail home furnishing store on the floor above it. Her company, Kyle & Co. Design, is located on the third floor of the building.

Given his history with the team and his roots in the city, the Oilers are optimistic but patient with McDavid.

“He’s earned the right for us to be respectful of his timing. Certainly we’re eager to meet with him whenever he wants, but we also understand that he just went through a very tough ending to the season,” Bowman said.

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Last year, Leon Draisaitl didn’t sign his extension until Sept. 3.

“Timing-wise, Connor’s going to drive that process, but there’s no question he’s a pivotal player on our team for not just what he does on the ice, but his leadership,” Bowman said. “I’ve had a chance to work with him now and I’ve been just so impressed with things you guys probably don’t see. He’s incredibly important to our group and whenever he’s ready, we’re going to dive into that.”

Near the end of his news conference, McDavid was asked by a local reporter for a message to the fans. The ones that have been on this journey with the Oilers during his time with the team. The ones “wanting to see what exactly happens with your future here” in Edmonton, as the questioner put it.

“My message to the fans would be to keep being patient and keep believing. They’ve been through a lot, just like our team has. The emotional highs, the lows. I look at what these playoff runs do to my family. It’s hard on them. It’s hard on the fans. It’s hard on everybody. But ultimately when that day comes, it’ll all be worth it,” he said. “These moments are tough now. But when that moment comes, it’ll be worth the wait for sure.”

The message wasn’t a passionate commitment to stay in Edmonton nor was it a declaration that his bags are packed for free agency. The message was that a championship will make all the postseason heartache worth the pain. As the NHL offseason begins, where McDavid might eventually win that championship is, at this moment, uncertain.

The Edmonton Oilers have traded winger Evander Kane to the Vancouver Canucks, clearing valuable cap space ahead of NHL free agency next month.

Kane, 33, has one more year on his four-year contract that carries a $5.125 million cap hit, and Vancouver is picking up his full salary. The Canucks traded Ottawa’s fourth-round pick in 2025 to the Oilers. That pick was actually sent to Vancouver by Edmonton last summer in a trade for forward Vasily Podkolzin.

Kane had a modified 16-team no-trade list. He is a Vancouver native who also played junior hockey in the city.

The veteran winger missed the entire 2024-25 season after multiple surgeries, first to his hip and groin areas and then knee surgery in January. He returned in the Stanley Cup playoffs, scoring 6 goals and 6 assists in 21 games as the Oilers lost to the Florida Panthers for the second straight season in the Final. His main asset was his physicality, as Kane had 44 penalty minutes to lead Edmonton in the postseason.

Kane thanked Oilers players, staff and ownership in a message on X “for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to be a part of such a respected and passionate franchise.” He thanked Oilers fans for “embracing me and showing unwavering support throughout my time in Edmonton.” Kane then said that he’s “incredibly excited for the next chapter of my career” with the Canucks.

“It’s an honor to become part of an organization and team I grew up watching as a kid. Vancouver is a city that lives and breathes hockey, I’m looking forward to the opportunity to play in front of my hometown as I did many years ago as a Vancouver Giant,” he wrote.

As my time with the @EdmontonOilers has now come to a close, I want to take a moment to sincerely thank the entire organization, my teammates, and the incredible community of Edmonton.

To the Oilers Ownership, front office, coaching staff, and trainers-thank you for believing in… pic.twitter.com/huOxax5FxK

— Evander Kane (@evanderkane) June 25, 2025

The Oilers needed to open up salary cap space to improve their roster, but also because two hefty new contracts will hit their books next season: Center Leon Draisaitl’s cap hit goes from $8.5 million to $14 million on a new contract, and standout defenseman Evan Bouchard will also get a raise over his $3.9 million AAV as a restricted free agent.

The trade comes as the NHL is investigating the Oilers for their use of long-term injured reserve on Kane last season, a source confirmed to ESPN, focusing on the second surgery he had on his knee in January. The trade is not expected to affect that investigation.

Daily Faceoff first reported the investigation.

Canucks GM Patrik Allvin said the acquisition of Kane brings toughness to the team.

“Evander is a physical power forward who will add some much-needed size and toughness to our group,” Allvin said. “We like the way he wins puck battles along the boards and handles himself in the dirty areas in front of the net. Evander moves well around the ice and has proven to be a productive goal scorer in the National Hockey League. We are excited to bring him back home to Vancouver and our staff looks forward to working with him this coming season.”

This will be Kane’s 16th NHL season, having played 930 games with the Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, San Jose Sharks and Oilers. He has 326 goals and 291 assists for 617 points in those games, including 1,186 penalty minutes.

Cabinet ministers have been asking Labour MPs to take their name off a rebel amendment to the government’s controversial welfare bill, Sky News can reveal.

In an attempt to quell the mounting rebellion of more than 100 MPs across all wings of the party, cabinet ministers were instructed to ring around the signatories of the amendment in a bid to get them to back the welfare cuts ahead of a planned vote next Tuesday.

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Two Labour MPs said they had been asked if they would take their names off the amendment, while one was asked if they would be prepared to abstain on the bill next week.

One Labour MP said: “‘The more they tell people to take their names off, the more names are added on.”

Others were also told their actions could provoke a fresh leadership challenge and that they were aligning themselves with Nigel Farage in a bid to get them to back down.

“I had a conversation with a senior cabinet member yesterday who basically said if the government is defeated next week it will trigger a leadership contest,” a Labour MP said.

“I can see how that might be the case but I would argue if that’s where we end up it’s because the government have allowed that to happen. The ball is very much in their court.

“By and large the rebels do not want this to be about leadership. We just want to government to listen.”

Another added that while they had not received a call from a cabinet minister, they knew “some colleagues are being told there will be a leadership challenge or a general election which is utter nonsense”, adding: “Everything is all over the place.”

The amendment, if passed, would effectively kill the government’s welfare reforms by failing to give it a second reading in the Commons.

It calls for a delay to the £5bn package to assess the impact of cuts to personal independence payments (PIP) and expresses concerns about the government’s own figures showing 250,000 people could be pushed into poverty – including 50,000 children.

The fact the amendment was tabled by Dame Meg Hillier, chair of the Treasury select committee, with the support of 12 other select committee chairs, has alarmed Downing Street – as has the sheer scale of the rebellion.

At least 123 Labour MPs have signed the public amendment, but Sky News understands more names are likely to appear in the coming days.

While Sir Keir Starmer and his deputy, Angela Rayner, have insisted the vote will go ahead next Tuesday, the decision to instruct cabinet ministers to call around colleagues suggests the government is concerned about potentially losing the vote.

‘The government is not listening’

A Labour MP who signed the amendment said most rebels wanted the government to pause the proposals pending a proper consultation.

They said the fact that the text of the bill had been published before the consultation had closed was proof the government was “not listening”.

Another MP said they had raised concerns that if constituents are moved from PIP to universal credit they could potentially exceed the benefits cap, which could disproportionally hit those living in cities where the cost of living is higher.

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“I can’t look at my constituents and say I’m confident this won’t negatively affect them,” they said.

The MP also criticised the government’s approach to keeping MPs on side, saying it had failed to make the case for reform consistently.

“The engagement stopped after the initial flurry of bad press. Now there is a small amount of activity before the vote. Ministers need to be out there; the PM needs to be out there.”

Despite the growing rebellion, the prime minister has indicated he is not willing to offer concessions on the government’s welfare plans.

Asked by reporters at the NATO summit in the Netherlands if he was willing to make changes to the bill, Sir Keir said: “We have got to make the reforms to our system. It isn’t working as it is.

“It doesn’t work as it stands for people who desperately need help to get into work or for people who need protection. It is broken.

“We were elected in to change that which is broken, and that’s what we will do, and that’s why we will press ahead with reforms.”

Downing Street has been contacted for comment.